What is Medicare in Australia?

What does Medicare mean in Australia?

Medicare is Australia’s universal health insurance scheme, established to provide all citizens and most permanent residents with access to affordable medical, hospital, and (in some cases) pharmaceutical services. Its primary purpose is to deliver sufficient, accessible, and high-quality healthcare that is cost-effective and meets the public health needs of the population. Medicare covers a range of services including consultations with doctors, specialists, and optometrists, as well as tests and examinations, hospital treatments, and most surgical procedures. Without a Medicare card, you will normally need to pay in full for any Medical service, though for temporary residents they then may get some of the money back via their OSHC policy.

Medicare is available to all Australian citizens, permanent residents, and certain overseas visitors from countries with reciprocal healthcare agreements. These agreements allow visitors from countries like the UK, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Belgium, Malta, Slovenia, and New Zealand to access Medicare services during their stay in Australia.

There are three types of Medicare cards: the standard green Medicare card, the blue Interim Medicare card, and the yellow Reciprocal Health Care Agreement card. The green Medicare card is the most common and is issued to Australian permanent residents and citizens who are eligible for benefits. The blue card is for people who have applied for permanent residency and are awaiting a decision. It provides the same benefits as the green card but is only valid for a specified period. The yellow card is issued to residents from the above countries that have a reciprocal health agreement with Australia.

What is the equivalent to Medicare in Latin America?

The equivalent to Medicare in some other Latin American countries is:

• 🇨🇴 Colombia: The health system in Colombia is managed under the Entidades Promotoras de Salud (EPS), which offers comprehensive coverage to its contributors across public and private healthcare providers.

• 🇦🇷 Argentina: In Argentina, the Sistema Único de Salud (SUS) provides public healthcare to all residents. Additionally, there are obras sociales, union-backed health insurance plans that cover workers and their families.

• 🇨🇱 Chile: The Chilean public health insurance is managed through the Fondo Nacional de Salud (FONASA), which covers the majority of the population, offering access to public and some private healthcare providers.

• 🇧🇷 Brazil: The Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) is Brazil’s publicly funded health system, offering comprehensive coverage from routine check-ups to surgical procedures to all citizens and residents.

• 🇲🇽 Mexico: Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) is the primary public health insurance provider in Mexico, covering employees in the formal sector. There’s also Instituto de Salud para el Bienestar (INSABI), which provides free healthcare services to residents who do not have health insurance or other forms of social security.

How is Medicare normally used in conversation?

Here are some examples of how 'medicare' is used in day to day conversation in Australia:

Don’t forget to bring your Medicare card to the doctor’s appointment, so you can claim the refund.

As soon as you submit your application for PR, then you should apply for a Medicare card.

This service isn’t covered by Medicare, so you have to pay 100% out-of-pocket.